Violence in Egypt Kills Over 500

The crisis in Egypt turned tragic yesterday as interim government officials raided two camps in Rabaa al-Adawiya and Al-Nahda squares in Cairo. Packed with former President Mohamed Morsi's supporters, members of the Muslim Brotherhood, a reported 525 people were killed and 3,717 were injured, according to the Health Ministry.

The attack lasted more than 12 hours and many were shot in either the head or chest. Bulldozers, tear gas and snipers were also used. The gruesome figures make yesterday the deadliest day in Egypt since former president Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011. Among the victims were three international journalists and several teens, including the 17-year-old daughter of Mohamed Beltagy, a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Although Egypt has been in turmoil for the past two-and-a-half years, the current crisis stems from the July ousting of Morsi, the country's first democratically elected leader. Vowing to keep protesting until he's reinstated as president, a spokesperson for the Brotherhood tweeted, "We will push until we bring down this military coup."

Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi called yesterday a "difficult day," but said the assault was necessary to "prevent anarchy spreading." Several world leaders have already spoken out about yesterday's attack, including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He told reporters, "I am calling on Western countries. You remained silent in Gaza. You remained silent in Syria. You are still silent on Egypt. So how come you talk about democracy, freedom, global values and human rights?" U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called the events "deplorable" and said that they go against the country's "aspirations for peace."

To restore order, the interim government has called for a 7 P.M. curfew in some areas and declared a month-long state of emergency.

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